Cotton Jones: Gotta Cheer Up Now

Dirty Projectors

DVD Review: Jeff Buckley - Grace

I often wonder what type of artist Jeff would have been had he lived. Would he have done a Dylan by sticking to his integrity? Would he have lived with a dash of eccentricity? Would he be ducking behind walls, and falling in love, wearing his heart on his sleeve? Would he have sold his beautiful downtown New York heartbreak to the corporate budget line? Or would he live in SoHo and jam in clubs despite all his Grammys?

Grace stands alone as the first and last officially finished and released album that Buckley had ever done before his death in 1997. The album itself is a pure gem. After almost 10 years of listening to this gorgeous and poignant work, it's a pleasure to celebrate this music with an anniversary edition packed with sensual outtakes and those hard to find, not seen in years music videos. I still get chills when I hear those haunting shivering guitar strings at the beginning of "Last Goodbye". Jeff was like a confused choir boy, with a voice like an angel and a fire in his belly that came through in a tidal wive of grief and longing. One minute he's singing in his sleep in "Mojo Pin", making a song sound like a sexual prayer, and then suddenly he bursts forth in a coital rythmn. "Grace", the title song laments the demise of purity and a fall from virtue. The cover of Leonard Cohen's "Halleluah" is haunting, cutting, it can send you on your knees. The longing and horny-ness of "Lover You Should have Come Over" melt into the religious "Corpus Christi" straight into the angry drive of "Eternal Love". You're left panting from exhaustion on the last track "Dream Brother". Did I leave out "Lilac Wine"? It's like velvet against your skin. "So Real"? It's like listening to a confession that turns into a burst of cathartic expression.

Who knows what kind of music Jeff would have made, or what kind of name he would have made for himself if he lived today. The fact is, we lost a wonderful, remarkable talent who had so much ahead. He left us with a refreshing sound and sensibility that other groups are trying to emulate today. Like Nick Drake before him - he was a quiet force, struck down too young. For those who know this album and don't understand the beauty, it's your loss. The re-master provides more depth to the sound and is a great tribute to its beauty. The technical quality is wonderful. For those who don't have the original album, or this special edition...get either one.

DVD Review: Jeff Buckley - Live in Chicago

I have never had the opportunity to see Jeff play live when he was alive. Although I've been and always will be captivated by his recorded material, I was slightly disappointed by this concert. Perhaps that's my fault. With all the gusto and drama of Buckley's voice, I imagined him along the lines of early Springsteen, where he would seamlessly weave story and song on stage to the point of performance art. It was interesting to see that Jeff's song breaks concentrated more on adjusting amp levels and guitar tuning than story telling or posturing. That's not a bad thing. Jeff jokes and spares with the audience in a down to earth way, inflicting more drama in his songs than in the moments in between them. Less can be more in this case because once's he slamming and crooning a song, you're mesmerized. Indeed, my disappointment was short lived.

The sound quality isn't as good as it could be. I had to turn up my speakers to get a concert-like sound. However, if you're a Jeff fan - this is an important performance to add to your collection. Since Jeff was only with us briefly, every precious moment captured on video or film is a treasure. I recommend this highly. Just don't expect the greatest sound, and look for the magic in the songs.

CD Review: Sufjan Stevens: Michigan

The beauty of Sufjan Stevens is not only the pastoral and gorgeous lush of this masterful album, it's his ability to impart his spiritual faith within each song, allowing listeners to universally relate. He weaves a heady collection of hook and verse, turn of the rythmn and avant guard jauntiness. The sadness of the trombone, the autumnal crisp sound of the banjo lend to the Americana of Michigan and the souls who are its backbone.

Each song melts into an intoxicating, haunting track of wonder, longing, sadness and God. You just have to listen and pay attention. Sufjan shows us this. He produces contemplative songs without preaching, without condenscending. This isn't "Christian Rock" - not at all. This is humanistic. Songs in this masterpiece evoke the daily grind and heartbreak of the heartland, the broken down factories, the husband who lost his wife and job, and how they all question their existance while languishing in the doldums of a dieing city. They long for the welcoming arms of the farm while hoping God shows mercy. The sound on "Michigan", the beat, the whisper of his voice, the harmonies by Megan Smith and the influence of the Danielson Family adds an eccentric punch to an album I can only describe as fascinating, thought provoking, dreamy and intoxicating. Apparently, he will be trying to write an album on each of the 50 states. I can't wait for the next 49.

CD Review: Sufjan Stevens: Seven Swans

Sufjan Stevens has a way of making a song sound like a prayer. His voice is almost a whisper, not forced, at ease, filled with a grace that is so touching, you want to pray with him. In this age of conservative religious righteousness, it's refreshing to listen to a talent who can share his tender thoughts about God without judging, without jingoism and without preaching. This is a spirituality that is personal and real. Stevens also creates an angelic sound out of all things - a banjo - that plucks and dances with a purity so stark, you'd think the angels traded in their harp and made that quirky country guitar the offical instrument of heaven. From the first track, the majestically and achingly beautiful, "All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands" - until the last "Transfiguration", Sufyan's deep contemplation of God, his love of his faith, and even the temptations of the devil come into fold. It's a spiritual and intellectual voice that set's Sufyan apart from most artists out there. The songs are so gorgeous in melody and texture, that I tend to wake up in the middle of the night hearing them in my head. Although "Seven Swans" may not be as punchy, and epic as his last album "Greetings from Michigan...", it shows him to be a dynamic indie artist taking new directions, down a path that God has given him. We're lucky to walk down that path with him. This is just a beauty of an album.

Film Review: The Stepford Wives

I must preface this with a disclaimer. There are spoilers here in my commentary. But this film is so bad - that nothing could "spoil" it more than just plain watching it...

This film just plain stinks. It's a great cast, re-doing a classic thriller, for no reason at all. There are so many continuity errors in the context of the story that it's an embarrassment. There are so many unfinished elements that enable so many questions: Were these women disposed of and had robots made in their image, with a June Cleaver makeover? Or did they just have a chips in their brain? If so, then why did Bette's hand burn? Why did that other wife spit out cash? Why did Faith Hill send off sparks when she went kablooie during the Square Dance? Why did Nicole Kidman's character see her own robotic image if these women weren't robots? So, Walken was a robot? I though we were working with computer chips here. Most importantly, why didn't robo-dog get de-robotized when the gigg was up and turn back into a real dog, like the women did? Poor thing.

Holy Moly - this film is a mess. It's definitely a punch in the stomach regarding the role of gender in today's society. It shows men in a very bad light, and doesn't help women either. It's so patronizing to the fair sex it's silly. It also satirizes Conservatism big time. I'm no conversative, but please...could this film have more Hollywood liberalism? I want entertainment, not political commentary. This movie is inconsistant, amaturish, insulting, pandering, and that's just the first few scenes! I could go on....give me a dictionary - I need more words! What is so disappointing is that this could have been better. The story, if written well, could have used Walken, Close, Midler, Kidman and Broderick's talents to a satisfying end. This film is highly recommended viewing for those film students who want to know how NOT to make a movie. Also recommended for those who wish to view the equivelent of a train wreck - just for morbid curiosity.

The best part was the dog.